The Divorced Military Queen Awakens (by Sadie Baxter) novel Chapter 710

Olivia rapped her cane sharply against the floor. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll call the Shaws and have them come get you.” 

Abel’s face fell instantly, and he looked to Tess for help. 

Tess kept her eyes fixed straight ahead, refusing to spare him a glance. 

Abel’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “There’s a tree in the back garden.” 

That was all he needed to say. Both women understood immediately. 

Tess turned her head, her eyes landing on Abel with a look of utter exasperation. 

Olivia made her way into the room and settled herself onto a chaise lounge, eyeing Abel’s embarrassed face with amusement. 

“Well, well. The young Mr. Shaw actually knows how to be embarrassed? And here you are, sneaking onto private property after dark.” 

Abel’s ears turned crimson at her words. 

“Mrs. Larson, you can’t really call it sneaking onto private property, can you?“ ̈ ̈ 

He muttered under his breath, tugging at the corner of Tess’s shirt behind her back. 

Tess paid no attention to his little gesture. She yanked her shirt free from his grip and stepped back, putting distance between them, completely ignoring the hurt, wounded look in Abel’s eyes. 

“I’m calling the Shaws right now.” 

Abel’s eyes went wide with panic. He grabbed Tess’s wrist. “You promised! You said if I told you how I got in, you wouldn’t call them!” 

Tess crossed her arms. “That was Grandma’s promise. Not mine.” 

Her response earned an approving look from Olivia. 

Just that morning, Olivia had personally asked Tess to stop calling her “Olivia” and use “Grandma” instead, to show that Tess was as much her granddaughter as if they shared blood. 

‘Tess! You’re going back on your word!” 

Abel’s voice rose in alarm, and by the end, there was a telltale crack of emotion in his throat. 

Tess’s fingers paused. The man before her was staring at her with reddened eyes, looking utterly pitiful. 

“You just said you wanted me.” 

His voice dropped low, and without realizing it, his head sank too, wisps of hair falling over his brow and shadowing his eyes. He looked like a man with nothing left to live for. 

Tess’s frustration evaporated in an instant. 

“What exactly do you want? You sneak out of the Shaw Residence, climb a tree in the back garden to break in here, all to find me. 

What’s the point?” 

She frowned deeply, confusion written all over her face. 

“You.” 

“What?” 

Tess saw his lips move, but she couldn’t make out what he said. 

“Tess’s ex–husband is your uncle, and they have a daughter together. Does that not bother you at all?” 

Olivia’s laughter faded quickly, her eyes locking onto Abel. 

“No. I was too late. That’s why she had to suffer so much.” 

His voice was low and resolute, laced with tenderness and heartache for Tess. 

Something stirred in Tess’s chest, like a gentle knock against the walls she had built around her heart. 

Her gaze flickered, and she quickly buried the shift in her emotions. 

“My poor Tess really has been through so much.” 

Olivia sighed with feeling, her hand moving to rest on Tess’s head, patting it gently, her eyes full of love. 

A wave of warmth spread from the top of her head down through her chest and into her limbs. Her eyes began to sting. 

Olivia let out a hearty laugh, though a note of sadness crept into her voice. “But I can’t be with you forever.” 

The words made Tess’s breath catch. 

Her fingers tightened around Olivia’s arm. 

“What do you mean?”